Drawbridge docking system

ABSTRACT

A dockboard featuring a hinged dock plate with a simplified design resembling a draw bridge, with one portion being a stationary dock plate bolted flat on a dock top in an unobstructing disposition, and a second portion being a movable dock plate, fixably connected to the first portion with hinges, which may be raised or lowered to extend or retract a continuous load-supporting floor plane enabling horizontal access from the dock top to the receiving or discharging vehicle. When in an inoperative, retracted position, the second, movable dock plate is circumferentially rotated by means of the hinge connection to rest at a resting position angle of between 60 and 80 degrees from the first, stationary dock plate. When in an operative, extended position, the movable dock plate is circumferentially rotated by means of the hinge connection to rest at a resting position of 180 degrees from the stationary dock plate, forming a continuous plane with stationaly dock plate. The movable dock plate is sloped outward from its connection to the stationary plate, at the hinge, approximately ten degrees over its span, in order to create an easily traversable slope for users. The lip of the movable plate is tapered, in order that it also slope outward at approximately ten degrees over its span, to create an easily traversable slope to the receiving or discharging vehicle.

FIELD

The subject disclosure generally relates to docking plates installed ondock tops to create a transition surface for ingress to and egress fromshipping and delivery vehicles and more particularly to a docking platewith a simplified, drawbridge-style design.

BACKGROUND

Docking plates are well known and are often used in shipping, receiving,and delivery areas of facilities of all kinds. Docking plates come invarious sizes, styles, and configurations; most create a generallyhorizontal ramped transition surface for moving people and loading andunloading of materials from delivery vehicles into the facility with aminimum of difficulty.

Drawbacks and limitations exist in numerous of the docking platescurrently known and available. Several popular models of docking platesare not fixed to the dock top. Such docking plates require personnel tolift the docking plate or plate, or to place the docking plates inbetween the dock top floor and the delivery vehicle as a bridge, or toreposition the docking plates as necessary during loading, unloading,and transit, and then subsequently remove and store. These docking plateoptions are cost-effective, but are cumbersome and difficult to lift,place, reposition and remove, and create a worker safety concern.

More expensive docking plate solutions involve hydraulic systems tolift, place, reposition if necessary, and remove the docking platebridge between the dock top and the delivery vehicle. Such systems aresafer and more effective than manual systems but are often prohibitivelyexpensive and require maintenance and specialized training to operate.Accordingly, novel docking plate systems have been developed to reduceor alleviate some of these mechanical, personnel, and cost concerns.

For example, U.S. Patent No. 394067S to Wanddell discloses ahorizontally hingedraiseable, extensible docking plate, wherein adocking plate bridge is raised from the dock top and extended, by arolling guide and a hinged lip plate, to form a continuousload-supporting span throughout their combined extent from a vehicleplatform to the dock top. Wanddell is a useable iteration but includestoo many moving features and, raises the likelihood of wear. breakage,or mechanical failure. as well as being prohibitively expensive.

While the usefulness of known and available docking plates iswell-known, improvements and/or alternatives are generally desired. Itis therefore an object to provide a novel docking plate with asimplified, drawbridge-style design.

SUMMARY

This summary provides a selection of concepts in a simplified formfurther described below in the detailed description of embodiments. Theapplicant does not intend this summary to be used to limit the scope ofthe claimed subject matter.

Accordingly, in one aspect there is provided a dockboard featuring ahinged dock plate with a simplified design resembling a drawbridge, withone plate portion being a stationary dock plate bolted flat on a docktop in an unobstructing disposition, and a second plate portion being amovable dock plate, fixably connected to the first portion with hinges,which may be raised or lowered to extend or retract a continuous floorplane giving horizontal access from the dock top to the adjacentreceiving or discharging vehicle. When in an inoperative position. thesecond, movable dock plate rotates to rest at a resting position angleof between 60 and 80 degrees from the first stationary dock plate. Whenin an operative position, the movable dock plate rotates to rest at acircumferential resting position of 180 degrees from the stationary dockplate, forming a continuous load-supporting plane with stationary dockplate.

In one or more embodiments, the movable dock plate is sloped outwardfrom its connection to the stationary plate, at the hinge. approximatelyten degrees over its span, to create an easily traversable slope forusers.

In one or more embodiments, the lip of the movable dock plate is taperedin order that it also sloped outward at approximately ten degrees overits span to create an easily traversable slope to the receiving ordischarging vehicle.

In one or more embodiments, the stationary dock plate is bolted to thedock top with two or more bolts.

In one or more embodiments, the hinge connecting the movable plate tothe stationary plate is an interleaving piano hinge. The stationaryplate and the movable plate abut. at the hinge, when the movable plateis in its extended position. The vertical corner edge of the stationaryplate closest to the hinge and the vertical corner edge of the movableplate closest to the hinge abut when the movable plate is in itsretracted position.

In one or more embodiments, the angle of the movable plate in itsextended position may be controlled by a rubber bumper affixed to thedock top. The movable plate in its retracted position may be controlledby use of a metal tie.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to theaccompanying drawings. in which:

FIG. 1 is a simplified overhead view of the movable dock plate withtapered lip;

FIG. 2 is a simplified side view of the moveable dock plate and thehinge pin;

FIG. 3 is a perspective schematic of the preferred embodiment of thedockboard of the present invention, shown mounted on a dock top inproximity to an adjacent delivery vehicle, and showing the dock top, thestationary plate affixed to the horizontal edge of the dock top, themovable plate rotating by means of the hinges to several positions alongthe axis of its rotation, the rubber bumper affixed to the vertical edgeof the dock top, and the adjacent delivery vehicle with rubber stopper;

FIG. 4 is a top view of the stationary plate and the movable plateinterleaving;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the moveable plate with tapered lip and hinges;

FIG. 6. is a bottom view of the stationary plate and the movable platewith hinge connections; and

FIG. 7 is a side view showing the slope of the movable plate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofcertain embodiments will be better understood when read in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings. As used herein. an element or featurerecited in the singular and preceded by the word “a” or “an” should beunderstood as not necessarily excluding a plural of the elements offeatures. Further, references to “one example” or “one embodiment” arenot intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additionalexamples or embodiments that also incorporate the recited elements orfeatures of that one example or one embodiment.

Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, examples orembodiments “comprising,” “having” or “including” an element or featureor a plurality of elements or features having a particular property mayfurther include additional elements or features not having thatparticular property. Also. it will be appreciated that the terms“comprises” “has” and “includes” means “including but not limited to”and the terms “comprising” “having” and “including” have equivalentmeanings.

As used herein. the term “and/or” can include any and all combinationsof one of more of the associated listed elements or features.

It will be understood that when an element or feature is referred to asbeing “on,” “attached” to, “connected” to, “coupled” with, “engaged”with, “contacting,” etc., another element or feature, that element orfeature can be directly on, attached to, connected to, coupled with,engaged with or contacting the other element or feature or interveningelements may also be present. In contrast, when an element or feature isreferred to as being, for example “directly on,” “directly attached” to,“directly connected” to, “directly coupled” with, “directly engaged”with or “directly contacting” another element or feature, there are nointervening elements or features present.

It will be understood that spatially relative terms, such as “under,”“below,” “lower,” “over,” “above,” “upper,” “front,” “back,” and thelike, may be used he re in for ease of describing the relationship of anelement or feature to another element or feature as depicted in thefigures. The spatially relative terms can, however, encompass differentorientations in use or operation in addition to the orientation depictedin the figures.

Reference herein to “example” means that one or more features,structures, elements, components characteristics and/or operationalsteps described in connection with the example is included in at leastone embodiment and/or implementation of the subject matter according tothe subject disclosure. Thus, the phrases “an example,” “anotherexample,” and similar language throughout the subject disclosure may,but do not necessarily, refer to the same example. Further, the subjectmatter characterizing any one example may, but does not necessarily,include the subject matter characterizing any other example.

Reference herein to “configured” denotes an actual state ofconfiguration that fundamentally ties the element or feature to thephysical characteristics of the element or feature preceding the phrase“configured to.”

Unless otherwise indicated, the terms “first,” “second.” etc. are usedhere in merely as labels, and are not intended to impose ordinal,positional, or hierarchical requirements on the items to which theseterms refer. Moreover, reference to a “second” item does not require orpreclude the existence of a lower-numbered item (e.g., a “first” item)and/or a higher-numbered item (e.g., a “third ” item).

As used herein, the terms “approximately” and “about” represent anamount close t o the stated amount that still performs the desiredfunction or achieves the desired result. For example, the terms“approximately” and “about” may refer to an amount that is withinengineering tolerances that would be readily appreciated by a personskilled in the art.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the drawbridge system 10 comprises a stationaryplate 20, a hinge 30, and a movable dock plate 40. As shown in FIG. 1,the stationary dock plate 20 is a flat. rectangular metal dock plate,fabricated of aluminum or galvanized or stainless steel, or such othermaterial as may be determined by one skilled in the art. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 3, the stationary dock plate 20 is disposed on the dock top50 with an outer end portion 22 extending almost. but not entirely, tothe outer edge 52 of the dock top 50, where the dock ends. The inner endportion 24 of the stationary dock plate 20 is supported by the dock top50 and extends toward the building (not shown) of which the dock top 50is a part. The stationary dock plate 20 is fixably attached to the docktop 50 by way of two or more bolts 28, at least one on each side of thestationary dock plate 20. T h e bolts 28 are as close to the margin ofthe stationary plate 20 as practicable to minimize interference withusers traversing the drawbridge system 10 or dockboard, particularlywhere wheeled moving element s are in use.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the hinge apparatus 30 consists of a hingepin 32 and a number of hinges 34 and is located at the meeting point of.and fixably connected to, the stationary dock plate 20 and the movabledock plate 40. Three or more interleaving piano hinges 34 are pivotallyconnected to both the stationary plate 20 and the movable plate 40. Thehinge pin 32 extends through the hinges 34 and spans the width of boththe stationary plate 20 and the movable plate 40. The hinge pin 32 is ahardened, treated rod or pin fabricated of galvanized or stainlesssteel, or such other material as may be determined by one skilled in theart, to minimize wear and tear. The length of the hinge pin 3 2 will becoextensive with the width of the stationary 20 and movable 40 dockplates.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the movable plate 40 is a flat, rectangular metaldock plate, fabricated of aluminum orgalvanized or stainless steel, orsuch other material as may be determined by one skilled in the art. Themovable dock plate 40 is disposed, in its retracted, inoperativeposition. rotated inward away from the dock top 50 by means of the hingeapparatus 30 at a circumferential angle of between 60 and 80 degreesfrom the stationary plate 20, and generally above the stationary plate20 on the dock top 50. In its retracted, inoperative position, the innerend portion 42 of the movable plate 40 at its hinged connection 30 tothe stationary plate 20 rests generally on the dock top 50, and itsouter end portion 44 extending inward to the building side of the docktop 50 and is supported by the abutment of its vertical corner edge 4 6with the vertical corner edge 26 of the stationary plate 20.

In its retracted, inoperative position, the movable plate 40 may becontrolled by use of a metal tie (not shown) in the movable plate 40,which could be, for instance, looped through a bolt hole, or anotheralternative securing mechanism or materiel as may be determined by oneskilled in the art.

As detailed in FIGS. 3 and 7, the movable dock plate 40 is sloped alongits length, as considered outward from its connection at the innerportion 42 to the stationary plate 20 at the hinge 30, to its outwardedge 44 toward the edge of the dock top 50 (when in its extended.operative position), approximately ten degrees from the horizontal overits span, thereby creating an easily traversable slope for users.

The movable dock plate 40 has a tapered lip 49 at its outward edge 44,in order that the lip also slopes outward and downward from thehorizontal, at approximately ten degrees over its span. thereby creatingan easily traversable slope at the immediate connection to the receivingor discharging vehicle.

As shown in FIG. 3 rubber stopper 60 or bumper may be affixed to theoutward. vertical face of the dock top 54. The resting angle of themovable plate 40 in its extended position may be controlled by use ofthe rubber stopper 60 or bumper so affixed.

Alternatively, the rubber stopper may be duplicated or reciprocallyaffixed to the back of the vehicle being loaded or unloaded. In typicaloperation, the movable plate 40 will be retracted from its extendedposition before the receiving or discharging vehicle departs from thedock, and therefore concerns about restraining the further movement ofthe movable plate beyond the horizontal plane defined by the dock top.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings,the dockboard 10 is shown mounted on a dock top 50, extending in itsoperative position to provide a continuous, load-supporting surfaceextending between a dock top and an adjacent vehicle, and retracting tomove to its retracted, inoperative position. wherein the dockboard“bridge” is removed.

As so constructed, the dockboard 10 is rotationally movable from aretracted, inoperative position wherein the movable dock plate 40 isrotated inward away from the dock top 50 b y means of the hingeapparatus 3 0 at a circumferential angle of between 60 and 80 degreesfrom the stationary plate, and generally above the stationary plate 20on the dock top 50, to an extended, operative position wherein themovable dock plate 40 has been rotated circumferentially from itsretracted position to an extended position where the movable plateextends and provides a continuous, load-supporting surface extendingbetween a dock top 50 and an adjacent vehicle.

The hinge apparatus 3 0 guides the rotational movement of the movableplate circumferentially from the retracted, inoperative position of themovable plate in a substantially vertical path outward and away from thestationary plate, extending from the dock top 50 into the space beyondthe dock top, allowing the movable plate 40 to rotate from itsretracted, inoperative position to its extended, operative position. Inits extended, operative position, the inner end portion 42 of themovable plate 40 rests on and remains partially supported by the docktop 50, and the rubber stopper 60 and the adjacent vehicle platform. Themovable plate 40 therefore hingedly depends on the stationary plate 20and the portion of the supporting dock top 50, such that when rotated into its extended, operative position, the movable 40 plate and thestationary plate 20 together form a continuous, load-supporting spanthroughout their combined extent from a vehicle platform to the docktop.

Both the stationary dock plate 20 and the movable dock plate 40 are madeof flat, heavy steel that may be supported in their inoperative positionby the dock top 50, together with the connection of the two plates atthe hinge 30 at their vertical top corner edge; and, in their operativeposition, by a combination of the dock top 50, the rubber dock topstopper 60, and the adjacent vehicle floor.

When the dockboard is desired for use, the movable plate 40 may bedetached by handfrom its controlling feature, such as a metal tie (notshown) or other controlling feature as may be determined by one skilledin the art, from its retracted, inoperative position, and rotatedcircumferentially in a generally upward and outward direction to itsextended, operative position approximately 180 degrees from thestationary plate 20, with which it abuts in its extended, operativeposition. When it is desired to return the dockboard 10 to itsretracted, inoperative position from its extended, operative position,the movable dock plate 40 may be raised by hand to rotationally retractand return to its retracted, inoperative position.

Although embodiments have been described above and are shown in theaccompanying drawings, it will be appreciated by those skilled in theart that variations and modifications may be made without departing fromthe scope as defined by the appended claims, and the scope of the claimsshould be given the broadest interpretation consistent with thespecification as a whole.

I claim:
 1. A drawbridge dockboard for transiting materials to and froma dock, the dockboard comprising: a) a first plate portion attached toand in a stationary, fixed position relative to the dock; b) a secondplate portion comprising a manually powered movable dockplate; and c) ahinge connecting the first plate portion and the second plate portion,wherein the second plate is movable from an inoperative position to anoperative position, wherein the inoperative position is raises thesecond plate portion to an acute angle relative to the first plateportion, and the operative position is a lowered position providing asubstantially horizontal continuous floorplane from the dock to anadjacent vehicle so as to provide a continuous load supporting planefrom the dock to the vehicle.
 2. The drawbridge dockboard of claim 1,wherein the inoperative position of the second plate portion is at anangle of between 60 and 80 degrees from the first plate portion.
 3. Thedrawbridge dockboard of claim 1, wherein the second plate comprises aproximate end adjacent the hinge and a distal end closest to thevehicle, where the second plate portion is sloped downward from theproximate end to the distal end to provide a more readily traversablepath between the vehicle and the dock.
 4. The drawbridge dockboard ofclaim 1, wherein the first plate portion is bolted to the dock with aplurality of bolts.
 5. The drawbridge dockboard of claim 1, furthercomprising a rubber bumper fixed to the dock whereby the operativeposition of the second plate portion is controlled by the rubber bumper.6. The drawbridge dockboard of claim 1, further comprising a metal tiewhereby the inoperative position of the second plate portion iscontrolled by the metal tie.
 7. The drawbridge dockboard of claim 1,wherein the hinge is an interleaving piano hinge.
 8. A method ofproviding a manually powered, retractable continuous, load-supportingsurface extending between a dock top and an adjacent vehicle, the methodcomprising the steps of: a) Bolting a first plate portion a dock in astationary, fixed position relative to the dock top; b) Lowering amovable second plate portion attached by a hinge to the first plateportion, wherein the step of lowering occurs in the presence of anadjacent vehicle to provide a continuous load bearing, substantiallyhorizontal plane between the dock top and the adjacent vehicle; and c)Manually raising the movable second plate portion to a disengagedposition to form an acute angle relative to the first plate portion inthe absence of an adjacent vehicle.
 9. The method of providing amanually powered, retractable continuous, load-supporting surfaceextending between a dock top and an adjacent vehicle as called for inclaim 8, wherein the step of manually raising the movable second plateportion is controlled by a metal tie.
 10. The method of providing amanually powered, retractable continuous, load-supporting surfaceextending between a dock top and an adjacent vehicle as called for inclaim 8, wherein the step of lowering the movable second plate portionis limited by a rubber bumper affixed to the dock.
 11. The method ofproviding a manually powered, retractable continuous, load-supportingsurface extending between a dock top and an adjacent vehicle as calledfor in claim 8, wherein the step of lowering the movable second plateportion further includes lowering a tapered edge of the movable secondplate portion so as to provide an approximately 10 degree slope relativeto ground for the continuous load bearing, substantially horizontalplane between the dock top and the adjacent vehicle.